All posts by Josh Farmer

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer The Verizon IndyCar Series completed their first full-field test with the new 2018 aero kit during this weekend’s third-annual “Prix View” weekend at Arizona’s ISM Raceway. New year, new tires Tire manufacturer Firestone changed their tire formula for the 1.022-mile oval. Cara Adams, chief engineer for Bridgestone Americas, said that the reduction in downforce and drag required some changes to the formula.”The G-Load is significantly lower on the right side tires, they were able to bring a softer construction which has a better contact patch forRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer AVONDALE, Arizona – Takuma Sato completed a Rahal Letterman Lanigan sweep of this weekend’s Verizon IndyCar Series open test at the ISM Raceway. The driver of the No. 30 Mi-Jack Honda logged the fastest lap of the weekend at 19.379 seconds (189.885 mph) late in the three-hour session during Saturday evening’s final three-hour session. “The open test was very successful,” Sato said. “Lots of things done and lots of things to be tried, and I think over the course of two days we learned a lot. Great car,Read More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer AVONDALE, Arizona – The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing pair of Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato topped the charts in Friday’s Verizon IndyCar Series’ open test at the ISM Raceway. Rahal lapped the 1.022-mile oval in 19.457 seconds (189.090 mph) during the evening’s three-hour test session. The driver of the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, who turned his first laps with the new aero package on an oval, was pleased with the team’s progress. “The pace of the team, the pace of the cars, it seems good,”Read More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer AVONDALE, Arizona – Rahal Letterman Lanigan announced that Colorado State University’s One Cure will serve as the primary sponsor of Graham Rahal’s No. 15 Honda in two Verizon IndyCar Series races this season. The Colorado State University animal research arm will serve as Rahal’s sponsor for the Phoenix Grand Prix in April and the Verizon IndyCar Series penultimate round at Portland International Raceway in September. They will also serve as an associate sponsor for the remainder of the year. Rahal, who finished sixth in the 2017Read More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer Scott Dixon added another Rolex watch to his collection, and with co-drivers Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook scored Chip Ganassi Racing’s monumental 200th win in the GT Le Mans class at the 56th Rolex 24 at Daytona. The trio piloted the No. 67 Ford GT, which saw Briscoe leapfrog defending race co-winner Joey Hand – and teammate in the No. 66 sister car – on the second to last pit stop with around three hours remaining. The Aussie drove a flawless final two stints, putting 11.166 seconds onRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer  Highlighting the star-studded field of the 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona are drivers from six drivers from the Verizon IndyCar Series – Ryan Hunter-Reay, Graham Rahal, Spencer Pigot, Simon Pagenaud, Sebastien Bourdais and Scott Dixon. Overall victories of the historic race have been captured by Dixon (2006, 2015), Bourdais (2014) and Rahal (2011). The 56th edition of the event will see Hunter-Reay lead the charge for the open-wheel crossovers. Driving for 2016 Rolex 24 winning team Wayne Taylor Racing, the 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner finds himselfRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. – Yellow flags and equally fast teammates kept Helio Castroneves out of Victory Circle in last night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix Raceway. The driver of the No. 3 REV Chevrolet sat on pole for Saturday night’s race and led the opening 73 of 250 laps. Team Penske teammate Will Power inherited the lead by staying out a few laps longer before pitting than Castroneves. Following the stop, the 41-year-old Brazilian settled into second place until a yellow onRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. – JR Hildebrand’s return to the cockpit ended very sweetly with his first podium in nearly six years. While still nursing a broken bone in his left hand, the driver of the No. 21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet was on pace throughout the entire day and came home in third place, his best finish since finishing second in the 2011 Indianapolis 500. “I’m excited to get the result for the team,” said Hildebrand. “The car was bitchin’. At the end of the race, I know weRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. — Verizon IndyCar Series points leader Sebastien Bourdais and a handful of other drivers were eliminated in a first corner accident in tonight’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix. Mikhail Aleshin, who qualified seventh, lost control of his No. 7 Lucas Oil Honda going into turn 1 and spun into the path of Max Chilton. Bourdais spun trying to avoid the mess but also spun and found himself in the Turn 2 wall. He was then collected by the spinning car ofRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. — So far, Sebastien Bourdais’ move back to Dale Coyne Racing has gone better than expected. The four-time Indy car champion scored a come-from-behind win at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and followed that up with a second-place finish at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Combined with a steady drive to eighth place at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the four-time Indy car champion finds himself leading the points heading into tonight’s Desert Diamond West ValleyRead More